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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. race — a contest
  3. chest — a box
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. hand — in cards
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — a friend
  11. chest — of your body
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. suit — in cards
  14. hand — help
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. race — the arms race
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. chest — of your body
  20. suit — clothes
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. suit — to fit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com